Protective helmet having removable paning



Oct. 19, 1965 c. E. BENNER PROTECTIVE HELMET HAVING REMOVABLE PANING Filed March 5, 1963 FIG.4

1N VE NTOR. Char/es Eye/mar Agnf United States Patent 3,212,101 PROTECTIVE HELMET VING REMOVABLE PANING Charles E. Benner, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich, assignor to Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 263,053 13 Claims. (Cl. 2'8) This invention relates to a protective helmet, and while not limited thereto is particularly concerned with such a helmet to be worn by an operator who is performing welding operations.

On the one hand the head of such an operator must be protected from spatter originating at the weld and from contact by metal objects generally which may be accidentally propelled or moved toward him or toward which he may move, importantly including such objects as may have a potential substantially diiferent from ground; on the other hand he must be able to see his work, and to do so at times through suitable light-filtering means which will protect his eyes from otherwise optically dangerous rays from the weld. Additionally it is desirable that his nostrils and mouth as well as his eyes be shielded from direct access of fumes, which are usually unpleasant and often toxic, emanating from the weld. To accomplish these important objectives it is customary for the operator to wear a protective helmet, usually of insulating material, in which there is provided a window covered by transparent material which usually provides light-filtering as well as mechanical protection in the neighborhood of his eyes.

The invention has for its general object the provision of a protective helmet which accomplishes these objectives in superior degrees and with relative simplicity and at low cost.

In the gamut of his work the operator usually encounters Welding tasks which present considerable varying requirements as to light filtering, rendering desirable if not altogether necessary the selective changing or supplementing from time to time of the transparent windowcovering material. To provide for this, as well as to cope with the problem of accidental breakage of that material, is is customary to provide for the interchange, supplementation and replacement of that transparent material itself.

The invention has as a particular object the provision of a protective helmet in which this function may be accomplished in an especially facile, quick and dependable manner.

It is ordinarily desirable that the helmet be very light, in order to be as little oppressive as possible, and as a result the hood which forms the principal portion of the helmet is ordinarily formed of a thin and light material itself unsuited to provide a frame for the window mentioned above; it is therefore customary to provide in the hood simply a suitable opening, and then to or around that opening to secure a suitable window-frame in which paning comprising the transparent material is in turn retained (often by means of a single spring, itself for example frame-shaped). Customarily that window-frame comprises a plurality of parts, of one or another form, which must be assembled together to form the frame. According to an important aspect of the present invention the window-frame consists of one integral piece in the form of a tray, desirably molded of electrically insulating material, having a base in which the window itself is provided in the form simply of an opening and having peripheral flange means extending normal to and away from that base; conveniently the tray may further include a peripheral skirt disposed beyond the flange means (with reference to the center of the tray) but beyond which the 3,212,101 Patented Oct. 19, 1965 flange means extends away from the base, the skirt then being held against the exterior of the hood around the opening in the latter, with the flange means projecting inwardly through that opening.

Not only have the customary window-frames not been of integral construction or even adaptable thereto, but also they have involved-either by reason of their own constructions, or for purposes of retention of the spring or other means which secures the paning, or bothelements extending into the space which they have bounded or into a nearby projection of that space or both. The result has been that if there were employed paning of an area extending substantially throughout that space, the act of insertion or removal of the paning has been troublesomely interfered with, while if on the other hand paning of substantially smaller area were employed to reduce such interference then risk has been entailed that the inserted paning would not have been brought laterally into its proper position just before being finally secured, thereby seriously frustrating some of the helmets protective functions. These dilemmae are circumvented by an important aspect of the present invention, according to which both the space bounded 'by the flange means and the projection of that space for a substantial distance in the direction away from the base are free of elements extending thereinto, while the paning is of an area extending substantially throughout that space. For securing the paning in its inserted position there may be employed a spring which in general is of the frame-shaped variety mentioned above but which is additionally provided with end projections, while in the end portions of the flange means there are apertures which provide alternatively for the retention of those end projections and for the removal of the spring-a construction which leaves unimpaired the space freedom discussed earlier in this paragraph, besides rendering the inserted spring altogether proof against any excepting deliberate dislodgment, as will hereinafter be apparent.

According to another aspect of the invention the task of securing the window-frame to the hood in a manner which will in no way impair or risk the impairment of the benefit of their electrically insulating natures is performed in the extremely simple and inexpensive manner of providing posts of insulating material (for example, simply molded as integral parts of the tray) projecting from the trays skirt in the direction in which the flange means extends, causing these posts to extend through the hood, and equipping each with suitable fastening means inside the hood.

Conventional helmets, although they too have provided, at whatever complication, secure mechanical attachment of their window-frames to their hoods, have nevertheless tended to achieve considerably less than perfect atmospheric sealing between those elements-the more so the simpler has been the construction of that frame itself. According to a further aspect of the present invention an essentially perfect such sealing is achieved, in spite of the integral and otherwise extremely simple nature of the window-frame, by the provision, in that surface of the skirt which faces in the direction in which the flange means extends, of a channel surrounding and adjacent to the flange means and, in the exterior surface of the hood surrounding the opening therein, of an outwardly extending lip fitting into that channel. This construction forces any would-be leakage path from outside to inside the helmet between window-frame and hood to persist around three essentially right-angle bends, which with even reasonably accurate fabrication of the parts is next to impossible, besides which the lip itself strongly reinforces and thereby insures the true shaping of the hood immediately adjacent the opening.

It is highly desirable that dirt and more massive objects striking the helment shall be shed or shall carom off it, rather than being caught by it and thus caused in the case of dirt to accumulate or in the case of more massive objects to deliver to it essentially their full kinetic energy; this in turn calls for as smooth an exterior surface as possiblea precept seriously violated in conventional helmets by angular pockets, often large, formed between the window-frame and the hood. According to a still further aspect of the present invention this precept is well observed, among other things by causing a surface of the skirt, specifically that surface which faces in the direction opposite to that in which the flange means extends, to form a smooth extension of the corresponding surface of the base of the tray.

Many particular objects of the invention have been made apparent in the foregoing brief description thereof. Allied and still other objects will be apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims.

In that detailed description reference is bad to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a helmet according to the invention attached to a cap to be worn by the operator;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view, from the inside of the helmet, of the tray referred to above and (fractionally) of the immediately adjacent part of the hood to which it is assembled, together with the paning and the spring holding that paning in place in the tray, the upper corners of the trays flange means being partially cut away to show in full respective lugs of the spring;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the tray, paning and spring taken along the line 33 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 2.

A helmet in which the invention is embodied appears as 1 in FIGURE 1. It comprises a generally bowl-shaped hood 2 of self-supporting but relatively thin and light electrically insulating material, and is shown with its plane bottom portion 3 in the generally vertical orientation appropriate to the use of the helmet. The helmet further comprises, in the hood portion 3, a windowframe constituted by the tray 10 hereinafter more detailedly described, the base 11 of the tray being provided with the window 12 hereinafter more fully referred to. The exact shaping of the sides and periphery of the bowlshaped hood 2 need not herein be detailedly described, being conventional and forming no part of the present invention.

The hood 2 may be assembled to a cap 8 to be worn by the operator, through the medium of two pivoting assemblies 7 one near each of the operators brows, it being understood that those pivoting assemblies are arranged (through known means not herein necessary to disclose) to be tightened after appropriate angular adjustment of the hood relative to the cap, following which tightening the angular relationship between those elements will be fixed until deliberately readjusted. Instead of being assembled to the cap 8, the hood 2 may alternatively be assembled to a skeletonized headgear (not shown) well known in the art.

Further reference to the drawing may be had to FIG- URE 2 and to the several cross-sectional FIGURES 3 through 6 whose respective planes are identified therein.

While not all the aspects of the invention are limited to a tray of generally rectangular shape, a tray 10 of such a shape is a particularly useful one; it is the one specifically illustrated and in terms of which the specific description is presented. The tray, in addition to the base 11 provided with the window 12, further comprises peripheral flange means 20 extending in a direction generally normal to and away from the base 11; such flange means may include first and second end flanges, 21 and 22 respectively, at respectively opposite ends of the tray (e.g., respectively to the right and to the left of the operators eyes), joined by intervening flanges 23 and 24 (e.g., respectively above and below the operators eyes). The intermediate portions of the intervening flanges 23 and 24 are desirably reduced in their extent away from the base 11, as seen with respect to the flange 23 in FIG- URE 3, to insure adequate spacing from the forehead and lip of the operator, but this is without effect on the functions of the flange means 20 in the various aspects of the invention.

The tray 10 may further comprise a peripheral skirt 30 disposed beyond the flange means 20 with reference to the center of the tray (as seen for example in FIGURE 2) but beyond which that flange means extends in the direction away from the base 11 (as seen for example in the cross-sectional figures). The flange means 20 may project (in FIGURE 2, toward the viewer) through a suitable opening 4 just freely accommodating it and formed in the hood portion 3, and the skirt 30 may rest against the exterior surface (in FIGURE 2, the surface further from the viewer) of that hood portion. The skirt 30 may be held in that position by means of a plurality of posts 31 of insulating material extending from it through the hood portion 3 (which will be provided with suitable holes for the purpose) and a plurality of fastening means such as self-threading nuts 32 respectively surrounding those posts and thereon tightened against the interior surface of that hood portion.

For the essentially perfect atmospheric sealing between tray 10 and hood portion 3, discussed above, there may be provided in the surface of the skirt 30 which faces inwardly of the hood portion 3 (i.e., in the direction in which the flange means 20 extends from base 11) a channel 35, for example of rectangular cross-section, adjacent the flange means 20, and the hood 2 may be provided with an outwardly extending lip 5 of corresponding cross-section surrounding the opening 4 and fitting into that channel.

For the maximization of smoothness of the exterior of the helmet, discussed above, the outer surface of the skirt 30 (i.e., that racing oppositely to the direction in which the flange means 20 extends from the base 11) may be formed as a smooth extension of the corresponding surface of the base 11 (as seen in the cross-sectional figures). As it progresses further and further from the center of the tray 10 that outer skirt surface may be smoothly curvedfor example, at the ends (or sides relative to the operator, as seen in the horizontal crosssectional figures) simply toward the hood portion 3, and along the intervening dimensions (or top and bottom relative to the operator, as seen in the vertical crosssectional figures) first toward, then along, and then again toward that hood portion.

Attention may next be directed to the paning. In accordance with important ones, although not necessarily all, of the aspects of the invention this is of an area extending substantially throughout the space bounded by the flange means 20a space which, and of which the projection for an indefinite and thus substantial distance away from the base 11, may be seen in the structure as thus far described, and will be seen in the remainder of the preferred structure, to be altogether free of elements extending thereinto which would or even might interfere 1n any manner with the insertion and removal of the paning.

The paning, designated generally as 15, preferably fits freely but with minimal play within the tray 10 against the base 11 and across the window 12. It will of course comprise at least one sheet 16 of transparent material, such as glass or a suitable plastic. In order to preserve the excellent atmospheric seal which is otherwise provided for by the structure, it is desirable that the paning include a gasket 17 of resilient material enveloping the marginal portions of the transparent material .16. While the transparent material 16 may itself be of light-filtering material, it may alternatively be of clear or non-filtering material, thus providing maximum visibility when light-filtering is not required; when it is, then for tasks for which lightfiltering is required it may be supplemented by an additional sheet 18 also transparent but of suitable filtering characteristics, laid against the inner surface of the gasket 17 and then also forming part of the paning 15.

The paning may be held in position by a generally frame-shaped spring 40. This spring may be viewed as comprising a main portion which is of true frame shape and which substantially fits within the flange means 20 and thus between the end flanges 21 and 22, together with end projections from that main portion which are hereinafter described. Alternatively and more specifically it may be viewed as comprising first and second end members 41 and 42 respectively (e.g., respectively to the right and to the left of the operators eyes) in which the end projections just mentioned are comprised, and therebetween intervening members 43 and 44 (e.g., respectively above and below the operators eyes); the intervening members 43 and 44 may be arched (considering the spring in about-to-be-assembled position) toward the bass 11.

The first end flange 21 may be provided with means spaced from the base for engaging the first end member 41 of the spring 40. While in its broader aspects the invention is not limited thereto, in the specifically illustrated embodiment such means are shown in the form of local aperturing of the first end flange 21, more specifically local apertures 21a and 21b near the respective extremities of that end flange; these are enabled to perform their function of engaging the first end member 41 of the spring by virtue of local means (i.e., end projections) provided in that end member which extend in a direction away from the second end member 42, and which may consist of lugs 41a and 41b forming parts of the end member 41 and lying generally in the plane of that end member, those lugs being arranged to extend into and thus to be engaged by the local apertures 21a and 2112 respectively.

The second end flange 22 may have therein local aperturing spaced from the base, more specifically local apertures 22a and 221) near the respective extremities of that flange; these may accommodate and retain appropriate local means (i.e., end projections) provided in the second end member 42 of the spring 40, which extend in a direction away from the first end member 41 and which may consist of lugs 42a and 42b forming parts of the end member 42 and lying generally in the plane of that end member.

Those surfaces of apertures 21a and 21b and of apertures 22a and 22b which are disposed further from the base 11 may desirably be bevelled in such a direction and sufficiently so that the contacts therewith of the respective lugs of the spring 40 will be limited to the portions of those surfaces immediately adjacent the space bounded by the flange means 20, as seen with respect to apertures 21a and 22a in FIGURE 3. The spacings of those surfaces from the base 11 (which spacings may for example be mutually similar) are such that when the respective lugs of the spring 40 are engaged or retained by those aperturesi.e., respectively lie against those apertures surfaces-the intervening members 43 and 44 of that spring are stressed to press their intermediate portions against the central portions of the top and bottom margins of the paning 15, with a pressure which will be substantial when that paning consists simply of the sheet 16 and gasket 17 and which will be somewhat greater when it additionally includes the sheet 18 (the fit of the springs main portion between the end flanges 21 and 22 being sufliciently loose to insure that that main portion will not 6 bind against those end flanges even when the additional sheet 18 is included). When the springs several portions are in those relationships to other portions of the structure which have just been described, the spring is in its normal or paning-retaining position.

The apertures so far described are insufiicient to provide either for the insertion of the spring 40 into its normal position or for its removal therefrom. To enable the accomplishment of those important purposes the second end flange 22 may have therein, in addition to the apertures 22a and 22b, a slot 22s which is continuous with those apertures but is closer to the base 11 than the position in which the second end member 42 of the spring is retained by those apertures. In the absence of deliberately imposed constraint of the second end member 42 carrying it into alignment with the slot 22s, the spring 40 is incapable of substantial longitudinal movement. 'Upon such constraint of the end member 42, however, the slot is enterable by the spring, so that in the presence of such constraint the spring may be moved longitudinally into the slot 22s thereby disengaging the lugs 41a and 4112 from the apertures 21a and 21b and enabling the swinging of its first end member 41 away from the base sufliciently to clear the end flange 21. Thereupon the spring may be withdrawn altogether from the slot 22s and thus from the tray 10, which then affords utterly unimpeded acccess for removal or insertion of the paning 15 or any part thereof. It will of course be understood that the transverse dimension of the slot 22s will be made ample to permit the swinging of the spring just referred to.

The spring 40 of course needs to be longitudinally movable into the slot 22s for a limited distance only; if however it were capable of being moved thereinto for a large distance, it would no doubt be so moved at times--- then possibly binding against an adjacent portion of the hood 2, following which an attempted swinging of the spring for purposes of its removal might deform the spring. Means are therefore desirably provided for limiting the distance of entry of the spring into the slot; they may conveniently take the form of small shoulders 42s formed at appropriate points in the extremities of the springs end member 42. For the sake of symmetry of the spring and its resulting indifference to which of its end members is used as the first and which as the second, corresponding shoulders 41s may be formed in the extremities of the end member 41.

The process of insertion of the spring 40 into its normal position of course comprises the insertion of the spring (i.e. of its end member 42) into the slot 22s for a sufficient distance, the temporary constraint of the end member 41 to bring the lugs 41a and 4112 into alignment with the apertures 21a and 21b, and the longitudinal movement of the spring to carry those lugs into those aperturesnear the completion of which movement the second end member 42 will clear the slot 22s and will snap in a direction away from the base 11 to bring the lugs 42a and 42b against the limits of apertures 21a and 21b, whereupon the entire spring will be in its normal position.

In connection with the aperturing of the end flange 22, it will be appreciated that the foregoing description treats the full extent of the opening parallel to the base as embraced in the slot 22s; consistently with this view the apertures 22a and 2% will be considered as constituting respective local enlargements of the transverse dimension of the slot, each in a direction away from the base 11. In connection with the aperturing of the end flanges collectively, that aperturing will be recognized as providing alternatively for the retention of the springs end projections (i.e., lugs) and for the removal (and insertion) of the spring. In connection with the aperturing of the end flange 21, it is to be noted that this need only comprise the apertures 21a and 21b; the two intervening somewhat elongated apertures 21c appearing in FIGURE 4 serve no operative function (being provided simply for material and weight conservation and for closest permissible similarity of the end flange 21 with the end flange 22).

The dimension of the spring 40 transverse to its length, while not a critical parameter, is desirably only very slightly less than the separation between the intervening flanges 23 and 24 in order that the mere presence of the spring between those flanges will insure its proper transverse alignment with the several apertures and the slot.

It will be understood that while the means with which the first end flange 21 is provided for engaging the first end member 41 of the spring is preferably in the specifically disclosed form of suitable aperturing (that end member then having suitable local extending means), it may alternatively be in the form of one or more elements limitedly extending into the space bounded by the flange means (the end member 41 then not needing extending means); the manipulability of the paning would then be somewhat less than the utterly complete manipulability above disclosed, but still ample for quite reasonable facility of insertion and removal, and in some of its aspects my invention contemplates a breadth which would include such an alternative.

While I have disclosed my invention in terms of a particular embodiment thereof, it will be understood that I thereby intend no unnecessary limitations. Modifications in many respects will be suggested by my disclosure to those skilled in the art, and such modifications will not necessarily constitute departures from the spirit of the invention or from its scope, which I undertake to define in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination in a protective helmet, a generally rectangularly shaped tray having a base provided with a window and having peripheral flange means extending in a direction generally normal to and away from the base, said peripheral flange means including first and second end flanges at respective ends of the tray, the space bounded by the flange means, including said space bounded by said flange means generally normal to and away from the base being free of elements extending thereinto, paning, comprising transparent material and of an area extending essentially throughout said space, fitting within the tray across the window, and a paningretaining spring having a main portion substantially fitting between said end flanges, end projections extending from said main portion, a slot in one of the end flanges, said end flanges having therein apertures interconnected in said one of said flanges with said slot, providing with said slot for the releasable retention of said end projections of the spring.

2. The subject matter claimed in claim 1 wherein said paning further comprises a gasket of resilient material enveloping the marginal portions of at least a part of the total thickness of said transparent material.

3. The subject matter claimed in claim 1 wherein said tray further comprises a peripheral skirt which is disposed beyond said flange means with reference to the center of the tray but beyond which said flange means extends in said recited direction, further including a hood having therein a generally rectangular opening into which said flange means projects inwardly and means holding the skirt against the exterior of the hood.

4. The subject matter claimed in claim 3 wherein the surface of said skirt facing in said recited direction is provided with a channel adjacent said flange means, and wherein said hood is provided with an outwardly extending lip surrounding said opening and fitting into said channel.

5. The subject matter claimed in claim 3 wherein said hood and tray are of electrically insulating materials and wherein said holding means comprises a plurality of posts of electrically insulating material extending from said skirt through said hood and a plurality of fastening means respectively surrounding said posts.

6. In combination in a protective helmet, a tray having a base provided with a window and having peripheral flange means extending in a direction generally normal to and away from the base, paning comprising transparent material held within the tray across the window, the tray further comprising a peripheral skirt which is disposed beyond said flange means with reference to the center of the tray but beyond which said flange means extends in said recited direction, the surface of the skirt facing in that direction being provided with a channel surrounding and adjacent to said flange means, and a hood which has therein a generally rectangular opening, said flange means projecting into said opening a sufficient distance to permit said skirt means to engage said hood adjacent the periphery of said opening, said hood having an outwardly extending lip surrounding said opening, said lip fitting into said channel.

7. The subject matter claimed in claim 6 wherein the surface of said skirt facing away from said recited direction forms a smooth extension of the corersponding surface of said base.

8. In combination in a protective helmet, a generally rectangularly shaped tray having a base provided with a window and having peripheral flange means extending in a direction generally normal to and away from the base and including first and second end flanges at respective ends of the tray, paning comprising transparent material lying within the tray across the window, and a spring whose main portion substantially fits between said end flanges, said spring comprising first and second end members and therebetween intervening members arched oppositely to said recited direction and said second end member being provided with local means extending in a direction away from said first end member, said first end flange being provided with means spaced from the base for engaging said first end member, said second end flange having therein local aperturing spaced from the base and accommodating and retaining said extending means while said first end member is engaged and said intervening members are stressed to press their intermediate portions against the paning, said second end flange further having therein a slot which is generally parallel with the base and is continuous with said local aperturing but is closer to the base than the position of said second end member established by that aperturing, said slot being enterable by said spring upon constraint of said second end member into alignment with said slot and longitudinal movement of the spring whereby to disengage said first end member for removal of the spring and paning.

9. The subject matter claimed in claim 8 wherein said local extending means with which said second end memher is provided comprises a pair of lugs lying generally in the plane of that member and located adjacent its repective extremities, and wherein said local aperturing is constituted by two local enlargements of the transverse dimension of said slot, each in a direction away from said base and respectively adjacent the extremities of the slot.

10. The subject matter claimed in claim 8 wherein said first end member is provided with local means extending in a direction away from said second end member, and wherein said means with which said first end flange is provided for engaging said first end member comprises local aperturing of said first end flange accommodating said last-recited local extending means.

11. The subject matter claimed in claim 10 wherein said last-recited local extending means comprises a pair of lugs lying generally in the plane of said first end memher and located adjacent its respective extremities.

12. The subject matter claimed in claim 8 further including means comprised in said spring for limiting the dlstance of entry of said spring into said slot.

9 13. The subject matter claimed in claim 8 further 2,186,817 including means for limiting the distance of entry of said 2,631,285 spring into said slot. 2,726,395 3,112,490 References Cited by the Examiner 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,152,865 4/39 Bowers 2-8 Bowers 2-8 Maillart 2--8 Anderson 28 Malcom 28 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION IN A PROTECTIVE HELMET, A GENERALLY RECTANGULARLY SHAPED TRAY HABING A BASE PROBIDED WITH A WINDOW AND HABING PERIPHERAL FLANGE MEANS EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY NORMAL TO AND AWAY FROM THE BASE, SAID PERIPHERAL FLANGE MEANS INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND END FLANGES AT RESPECTIVE ENDS OF THE TRAY, THE SPACE BOUNDED BY THE FLANGE MEANS, INCLUDING SAID SPACE BOUNDED BY SAID FLANGE MEANS GENERALLY NORMAL TO AND AWAY FROM THE BASE BEING FREE OF ELEMENTS EXTENDING THEREINTO, PANING, COMPRISING TRANSPARENT MATERIAL AND OF AN AREA EXTENDING ESSENTIALLY THROUGHOUT SAID SPACE, FITTINF WITHIN THE TRAY ACROSS THE WINDOW, AND A PANINGRETAINING SPRING HAVING A MAIN PORTION SUBSTANTIALLY FITTING BETWEEN SAID END FLANGES, END PROJECTIONS EXTENDING FROM SAID MAIN PORTION, A SLOT IN ONE OF THE END FLANGES, SAID END FLANGES HAVING THEREIN APERTURES INTERCONNECTED IN SAID ONE OF SAID FLANGES WITH SAID SLOT, PROVIDING WITH SAID SLOT FOR THE RELEASABLE RETENTION OF SAID END PROJECTIONS OF THE SPRING. 